A group-based behavioral weight loss program supplemented with personal contact and support was effective in helping overweight or obese breast cancer survivors lose a clinically meaningful amount of weight, investigators reported online Aug. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“Women who have been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer often have special issues and problems, such as treatment-related adverse effects, fatigue, and depression, that can complicate weight management efforts,” wrote Cheryl L. Rock, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center in La Jolla, and her colleagues.
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The results from this trial demonstrate that weight loss, even though it was modest, and increased physical activity can be achieved in this population and suggest that these issues can be overcome, the authors noted.
The multicenter trial included 692 overweight or obese breast cancer survivors who were randomly assigned to either the intervention group – which included a cognitive-behavioral weight loss program with telephone counseling and tailored newsletters to support initial weight loss and subsequent maintenance – or a control group with a less intensive intervention (J Clin Oncol. 2015 Aug. 17 doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.61.1095).
At 6 months, the mean weight loss in the intervention group was 5.9%; at 12 months, the weight loss held steady and was maintained at 6%. In the control group, weight loss was 1.3% at 6 months and 1.5% at 12 months.
At 18 months, the women in the intervention group were 4.7% below their baseline weight, and at 24 months they weighed 3.7% less than at entry into the study. Those in the control group were 1.3% below baseline weight at 18 months and 1.1% below at 24 months.
The weight loss intervention was more effective among women older than 55 years than in younger women, who may need counseling and resources beyond that offered in this study, to achieve sufficient weight loss, Dr. Rock and her associates added.
The study was supported by the National Cancer Institute and by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the NIH, and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research. Dr. Rock reported research funding from Jenny Craig and Nestle USA, and several of the coauthors reported financial relationships with various corporations.